I have recently acqiured this 1940 Zenith Model 8A02, and would like to know how to take out the brain of the radio (the bronze colored box), sorry I can't think of what it is called. I had to cut off the plug-in wire from the back of the box, I left about 1 1/2 inch of stripped wire sticking out the back, and attached a modern cord the the stripped wire, but it still won't work. It did work three years ago with the cord that was still on it, but it was an extereme fire hazard, the rubber insulation was so old that it cracked to pieces if you bent the cable, so I had to get rid of it.
Thank you, for the help

Hi --

Welcome to ARF.

I'm going to move your post over to the Electrical/Mechanical Restoration forum, where hopefully one of the resident experts will have the answer to your question.

Bob

That's a nice one, and it does need some TLC.

Not just the power cord, but about a dozen capacitors and the drive belt and maybe some wires with crumbly insulation.

You take it out by removing the four screws under the plywood shelf that screw upwards into the chassis. Probably 3 or fewer screws if the radio chassis has been taken out before.

And you have to remove the knobs on the front, most of those have a small slotted setscrew or square-head screw.

And the tone control panels to the left and right have to come out, they have little metal tabs that let you hinge them out and then slide them back.

You probably should find someone to help you refurbish it, unless yo have a lot of gumption to learn how. it's not impossible, but a bit of a learning curve.

Thank you, I knew I was on the right track yesterday, by removing all the bolts on the bottom, but then I couldn't figure out why it still wouldn't come out.

Hi and welcome!
Please keep the set intact, and if you do get a new cord installed, DO NOT power it up!
Please see
http://antiqueradio.org/powerup.htm

and
http://www.radiolaguy.com/info/Dont-Do.htm

This is a great console and will sound very good once it is serviced. If you are not electrically inclined, please get it to someone that is.
There will be cracked rubber wiring under the chassis, capacitors that need to be replaced, and some other basic checks before it's powered up.

I would not strip the finish either. WIth a cleanup, and paste wax applied it will look great. Don't worry about every little scratch, those are part of it's history.

Some people that don't know, have powered up old sets and they might "work". Yes, but with 70+ year old parts they will fail at any time.
Like driving a car with original 1930 tires on the freeway. They might work, but they will fail.

Get it checked out by someone that knows what they are doing. There might be a vintage radio club or a member near you that can help out.

I should mention to strongly resist the notion of gutting it, and making a liquor cabinet or fish tank out of it. The value drops to zero when you do that, and take a nice vintage radio out of existance.
Keep us informed.

My step-father has a friend who works at Boeing (the airplane company), he wires 737's, 747's and other large aircraft. He used to fix my step-father's guitar amplifiers. So when he gets back from Wicthita Kansas, according to my step-father, would have a "field day" with the radio.

I hope so. However wiring a 747 and working on vintage radios is totally different.

He should be able to read a schematic diagram, and I assume he is familiar with soldering and circuit tracing.

I would recommend to him the links I posted above, then replacing the electrolytic capacitors first. Test the tubes for shorts. Then go ahead and power the set up slowly, using a VARIAC.

The set should play. Good sign that everything is working right. Now replace the paper capacitors (caps) one or two at a time, test again. Do that until they are replaced.
Clean chassis, lube controls, bandswitches and linkages. Replace the tuning belt if its broken.
Just make sre he doesn;t do anything that he's not sure about. COme back here and post a question as we'd all be willing to help out.
Good luck with your project. It will be well worth the time to do.

That's excellent advice given above.

Some additional information:
The "gold colored box" is called the chassis (pronounced chass-ee)

The radio's model number is actually 8-S-563.
8A02 is the chassis number. They used the same chassis in different models (with different cabinets).

Although it might not make much sense to you, the schematic wiring diagram can be found here. It will be very useful to anyone restoring the electronics.
http://www.nostalgiaair.org/Resources/v ... 025458.pdf

The brown cardboard box is the loop antenna for the broadcast band only. The shortwave bands require hooking up to an external antenna. There are screw termionals provided for that.

Thank you for the information, I have almost 0 knowledge of antique radios, except that they use tubes, and somtimes sound better that modern radios. Also the friend of my step-father kind of as a hobby, works on radios, and record players, like mine. Gary rabbitt, I would never destroy a piece of history, especially with such humility as turning it into a fish tank. I am a "rare" 15 year old that appreciates antiques, my first car is a 1961 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Sedan.

Actually, only one of those panels (the one on the left when looking at the front) is the tone control. The other panel is the station preset control. From the front of the radio, there's a little push button on the side of the panel that releases it. When you pull it out, the tone control will be attached to the panel and will pull out with it. There will be several wires connected to the tone control. Just turn the panel at an angle and slide it through the hole. The other panel isn't connected to the station preset controllers, so it doesn't have to be removed.

However, on the back of the preset controllers you will find three wires that must be disconnected. These are connected with individual stud-and-clip connectors. When you disconnect these for the first time, you should use pliers to grip the studs and gently separate it from the clip. (This is in case the stud and clip have become corroded. Pulling on the wire may make it break off.) When you reassemble the radio, the three wires have to go back in the correct order for the pre-sets to work. (This isn't necessary for the radio to work. It's only necessary if you want to use the station preset function.)

Remove the chassis as follows:

1. In the front of the radio, remove the three knobs below the dial (black on/off/volume knob, white tuning knob, brass selector switch knob). All three knobs use set screws. Note: After several years, the knobs sometimes stick to the control shafts, so use a delicate touch the first time you remove them.
2. Release the tone control panel and slide it through the hole.
3. In the back of the radio, disconnect the three preset panel connectors, the speaker and antenna (Wavemagnet) connector plugs, and any wires connected to the screw terminals below the antenna plug. Again, after many years the connectors may be sticky. You may need to use a small screwdriver to disconnect the speaker and antenna plugs. Be gentle when you do so.
4. Remove the four chassis mounting screws from beneath the platform. The chassis of most Zenith consoles from this era had springs connected to the chassis at the mounting screw holes, so you must lift it up about 1/2 inch before removing it.
5. You can now remove the chassis from the radio.

very complete radio. everything looks to be intact. very nice dial. should clean-up well. getting someone who knows old radios would be ideal to work on the chassis. the bronze colored box. not much else to do with it other than enjoy. the early Triumph behind the radio is boss. I can see the back of one of the Bonneville air cleaners

It is my step-father's '68 Triumph Bonneville, we just had to replace the rear tire and the tube by ourselves (him and I). It also leaks oil like a sieve.

I'll take it

Not for sale, he puts up with the little gremlins in the wiring. Can't blame him though it's really nice bike.

Thanks Dusty, that's reassuring to hear. Many times we see a new member that just found a nice set, then they ask about gutting it to install new stereo equipment.

You know, you can install an Ipod jack when the time comes. That way, you can run old time readio shows or music through your system. We can show you how later.

Good to know also that you are young and like older stuff. There is another young member here, Wyatt Circo, that had been restoring a Corvair.
Restoring radios is interesting once you learn the basics, and I am sure you are capable of doing that. For your first sets, I'd concentrate on the small table models where you can learn soldering and reading a diagram. It's not all that hard.

I am happy that you are here, and enjoy antiques and radios.
Take care